Airship.



D. LOPEZ & M. R. LERMA.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJB, 1913.

l JQSX'YQ, I Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Attorneys,

D. LOPEZ & M. R. LERMA.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG..18, 1913.

1,108,770. Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

2 SHEETS-$112M 2.

Inventors,

y 1 V ,I

Attorneys,

Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL LOPEZ AND MIKE R. LERMA, OF SAN BERNARIDINO, CALIFORNIA.

' AIRSHIP.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that we, DANIEL Lornz and MIKE R. LERMA, citizens of the United States. residing at San Bernardino, in the county of San Bernardino, State of California have invented a new and useful Airship, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to airships, one of its objects being to provide a machine of this character which can be propelled either upon ground, water. or in the air.

A further object is to provide an airship of this type including a body in which is concealed a gas container of sutlicient capac- .and

ity to support the machine in the air.

A further object is to provide means whereby hot air can be employed for keeping the machine suspended in the air, the exhaust from the motor or motors being utllized to maintain the sustaining gas in a heated condition.

'A further object is to provide an airship having a parachute supported thereon, the framework of the parachute being adapted to be used as the aerial of a wireless apparatus.

ith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the inrentionresides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described claimed. it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the apparatus the same being shown somewhat in diagram. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view showing diagrammatically one means which may be used for actuating the rudders. Fig. 4 is a view showing diagrammatically one means which may be employed for actuating the balancing planes.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a boat-like body substantially cigarshaped and preferably formed of aluminum although it is to be understood that it can be made of any other suitable light material.

The body may be provided with support- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug; 25', 1 914,, Application filed August 18,1913. Serial No. 785,417.

ing' wheels 2 hingedly connected to the body as at 3 so as to becapable of folding upwardly against the sides of the body when the wheels arenot in use. One or more of the wheels can be driven 'in any suitable manner by a motor 4 located within the body, this motor being preferably in the form of a hydro-carbon engine. This motor 4 can also be utilized for driving suitable mechanism indicated generally'at 5 whereby a propeller 6 can be actuated, this propeller being revoluble with a rearwardly extending shaft 7 extending from the body *1.

Concealed Within the body 1 is a gas container 8 preferably formed of silk, or other suitable light material, the same being cylindrical or of any other suitable form and being fully protected by the body 1 in which it is located. This gas receptacle is adapted to receive exhaust from engine 4 through a pipe 9 and a vent pipe 10 may be extended from the receptacle 8, the same being pro-- vided with a safety valve 11 so that excessive pressure within the container or receptacle S will not be produced. Obviously instead of directing the gases into the container 8 they can be used-in any suitable manner for heating fresh air which, in turn, can be directed into the container 8.

The top of bcdy 1 constitutes a deck and arranged on this deck is a house or shelter 12 containing all of the controlling-means employed for operating'the machine. For example, this house may contain the levers 1 connected by pitmans 14 or the like to controlling wings 15 hingedlv connected to the sides of the deck and which constitute means for restoring and maintaining the lateral equilibrium of-the machine. These wings 15 also constitute sustaining planes whereby the machine can be caused to soar. An upper rudder I6 and a lower rudder 17 are extended rcarwardly from the body 1 and any suitable means may be employed for actuating the same. The upper rudder is preferably made up of intersecting planes disposed at right angles to each other so as to be serviceable in guiding the machine both laterally and upwardly and downwardly. The lower rudder, however, is designed solely for use while the machine is traveling on the surface of a body of water and is merely employed for steering the machine under such conditions. Consequently it is made up solely of a vertical plane. Any desired means may be provided for actuating these rudders. Bothrudders are adapted 'to be shifted laterally together and in order to efl'ect this result, cables 18 may be extended in opposite directions from the stems 19 of the respective rudders and mounted on suitable guide pulleys 20, these cables 18 being connected together so that, by pulling them in one direction both rudders will be swung laterally in one direction and by pulling in the opposite direction the movement of both rudders will be reversed. The upper rudder 16 is preferably mounted for up and down movement as well as lateral movement and for this reason the stem 19 is supported in a universal joint 21. For the purpose of effecting up and down movement of the upper rudder cables or actuating ropes 22 are connected to its stem 19 and extend upwardly and downwardly therefrom and are guided by suitable pulleys 23. All of these cables or ropes 18 and 22 extend into the house or shelter 12 where they can be conveniently manipulated. Obviously, any other means than that described can be employed for effecting the proper operation of the rudders.

Masts 24 may be erected on the deck of the I body and these masts carry sails 25 which can be used while the body 1 is floating on a "body of water. Another mast 26 is erected on the deck and carries a parachute 27, the frame 28 of which is made of metal and can be used as the aerial of a wireless apparatus.

A front controlling plane 29 is supported.

above'the body and has a rearwardly. extending stem 30 pivotally mounted, as at 31, upon a frame 33 erected on the deck of the body 1.

Controlling cords 34 extend upwardly. and

downwardly from the plane 29 and partly around suitably arranged guide sheaves 35,

these cords extending in the housing 12 where they can be manipulated readily. Obviously by'means of these cords, the plane 29 can be swung upwardly or downwardly about its pivot 31 so as thus to control the upward and downward movement of the machine while in flight.

For the purpose of assisting the propeller 6 in the propulsion of the machine, side propellers 36 may be arranged upon the body 1, these propellers being driven by motor 4 in any suitable manner.

By utilizing a cylindrical container 8 and disposing it as illustrated in Fig. 1, or, in other'words, concentric with a line extending transversely through the body at its center of gravity, the said body can be tilted readily by proper manipulation of the controlling planes without such movement being resisted by the gas held within the container.

What is claimed is 1. An airship including a boat-like body, a gas container extending transversely of the center of and completely housed within the body, a motor housed within the body, means for conveying the exhaust from the motor intothe container to fill said container, there being a.valved outlet extending from the container, said container being concentric with a line extending transversely through the body at its center of gravity, thereby to avoid resistance to the tilting of the body about said center and planes for controlling the tilting of the body about said center.

2. An air ship including a body, controlling planes for tilting the body about a transverse axis while infiight, and a gas container housed in thebody and concentric with said axis.

3. An air ship including a body, a cylindrical gas container therein and concentric with a line extending transversely through the body at its center of gravity, thereby to avoid resistance to the tilting of the body about said center, and planes for tilting the body about said center while in flight.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto afiixed our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

Witnesses:

C. D. LOZANO, CLARA Pos'r. 

